Gananda Central School Library

INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH
COLLEGE ENGLISH

INTRODUCTION

To  produce a  quality research product, you must find reliable, authoritative  information, in a variety of formats, written from a variety of perspectives.  All of these formats have their special advantages and disadvantages.   Keep in mind that not all information is created equal.  Not everything you read - especially on the web - is true.  (Have you seen the web site for RYT Hospital - Dwayne Medical Center)

Do not accept everything you read.  QUESTION AUTHORITY!!!

What resources should you check first?

1.  BOOKS    

Start here, unless your topic is so current, no books have yet been published.  You  will  get the benefit of in depth coverage, and also information that has survived the editorial process where editors have weeded out (for the most part) factual inaccuracies.  BE AWARE OF AUTHOR BIAS.  Consult many books to provide the perspective of many viewpoints.

2.  ONLINE RESEARCH DATABASES 

(available to Gananda students only through the Gananda Library Search Page)

Have you ever heard the expression "you get what you pay for"?  This applies here.  Academic and public libraries subscribe to information databases to provide their patrons with quality, up to the minute information from newspapers, academic journals, magazines, editorials, television and radio documentaries, etc.  Again - BE AWARE OF POSSIBLE AUTHOR BIAS.   Consult a variety of these sources to bring perspective to your paper

NOTE:  These databases are the easiest places to locate peer-reviewd (scholarly) journal articles.   You will be required to use these journals by your college professors.

3.  WEB PAGES 

Can be wonderful sources of current information and graphics - but not as good for getting an overview of a topic.   Inaccuracies and downright lies  abound.  You must be skeptical of what you read.  QUESTION AUTHORITY!!  You must be your own fact-checker.  There are no editors to do it for you.  Not everything is true, just because it is on the internet.  

 

ACTIVITY #1 - BOOKS
"START WITH THE BASICS"

BOOKS    

Go to the HS Library Page and click on "Library Catalog" to search for books.  You are expected to print and turn in a comprehensive list of books from this library that apply to your topic.  The criteria for a perfect score on this activity are as follows:

• You must brainstorm multiple subjects/keywords & write those search words on the top of your final list.

• You must turn in ONE list that has ALL of your books listed in order by call number (Dewey Decimal classification/location number).  (Hint:  to do this, you need to use the "bookbag" feature and the "sort" feature.  This list should NOT include any fiction books.

NOTE:  It is my sincere hope that you will check out a few of the books from the above list and use them as a basis for your research project.

ACTIVITY #2 - RESEARCH DATABASES
BOOLEAN SEARCHES

• Study & answer the questions about these most commonly used Internet Search Strategies.  

• Choose one of the following databases and, using the search strategy you just designed,  locate an article from a Peer Reviewed Journal (also called academic/scholarly/or juried) on your topic & print the article.
  NOTE:  Make sure that your article is both WORTHWHILE and REASONABLE IN LENGTH.  HINT:  A 99 page directory of colleges that offer your subject area as a major is  neither.

NOTE:  
Print the whole article for yourself.  Then print the first page only to turn in to me.

                         
ACTIVITY #3
"Question Authority" - Evaluating Web Pages

 Use the Web Site Evaluation Activity to decide which sites are reliable for 
 research.

SUMMARY

*******  DUE AT THE END OF THE LAST LIBRARY PERIOD  *******

1. One comprehensive list of all the books available in the Gananda Library about your topic.   Be sure to include the search words/phrases you used.

2. A copy of the first page of a "peer-reviewed" (scholarly) article from either EBSCOHOST or Gale Research Databases.

3. The Library Packet with all activites completed

Copyright Note: Permission is freely granted for school librarians to use (for student instruction) any materials on this page created by Jacquie Henry. You must request permission from Kathy Shrock to use the the modified web evaluation form.  Please include appropriate credit on any handouts. This use is limited to direct, face-to-face instruction of students or teachers within the confines of one school district. For any other uses, please contact Jacquie Henry, MLS at jhenry@ gananda.org